Illuminated bob for fishlines



Feb. 26, 1935.

c. D. MCDOWELL 1,992,874

ILLUMINATED BOB FOR FISHLINES Filed May 11, 1954 2. Sheets-Sheet 1lnvenlor ffya e ,D. M flowell Patented Feb. 26, 1935 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE 1,992,874. ILLUMINATED BOB FOR FISHLINES Clyde D.McDowell, Bigelow, Mo. Application May 11, 1934, Serial No. 725,197

2 Claims.

This invention relates tobobs for fish lines and has as its object theprovision of a bob equipped with means whereby the bob will beautomatically illuminated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a bob designed tofulfill all the requirements of night fishing.

The invention together with its objects and advantages will be bestunderstood from a study of the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the bob.

Figures 2, 3 and 6 are sectional views taken substantially on the lines2-2, 3-3 and 66 respectively of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view through the bob and Figure 5 isan enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the means of securing theline accommodating tube to the body of the bob.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals it will be seen that thebob comprises a cylindrical body 5 of any suitable light and durablematerial. Screwed on to the ends of the body 5 arehollow substantially,dome-shaped caps 6 and 7 respectively. The cap 6 is provided with athreaded neck 8 forming a socket for the threaded reception of the stemof a conventional electric bulb 9. The cap '7 is provided with anopening through which ballast material may be introduced into the cap'7, and for this opening there is provided a suitable plug 10. Disposedacross the cap '7 adjacent the threaded end thereof is a disk orpartition 11 secured in place by solder or as found desirable and asindicated generally at 12.

Threaded in the end of the body 5 opposite to the cap 7 is a plug 13 ofinsulation material and of disk form. Thus the partition 11 and disk 13provides for positively closing the ends of the body 5, and clampedbetween the end of the body 5 and the cap '7 is a gasket 14 thatprovides a watertight joint between said body and cap.

Arranged within the body 5 is a' suitable battery 15 and the same issecured in position through the medium of any suitable spaced supportingbrackets 16. Preferably the brackets are of the two-part clamp typeshown in Figure 3, and are of such a construction as to support thebattery 15 substantially centered within the body 5.

Supported by the partition 13 is a contact stem 17 that has an endthereof extending through an opening in the partition 13, and at saidend is provided with a head 17a that is engaged with the contact of thebattery 15 as shown in Figure 4. At its bottom end the battery 15 isgrounded through the partition 11 by a spring 18 of conductive material.

Operating within the cap 6 is a float 19 of cork or other suitablematerial and extending through the center of the cork 19 is a metallicsleeve 20 of conductive material, which sleeve it will be noted is inintimate sliding contact at one end with the contact member 1'7, and ata relatively opposite end is provided with a head 20a adapted to bemoved into engagement with the contact on the stem of the bulb 9 forcompleting the circuit through the bulb. In this connection it will benoted that the cap 6 is provided with a series of openings 21 for theadmission and egress of water. It will thus be apparent that by reasonof the water entering the cap 6 through the apertures 21 the float 19will be caused to raise upwardly (see Figure 4) causing the head 20a ofthe contact sleeve 20 to engage the contact of the bulb 9 and therebycomplete the circuit to the bulb for illuminating the bob. The passageof water into the cap 6 will take place when the bob is drawn under thesurface of the water by the pull of the fish on the line as is thoughtapparent.

For attaching the bob to the fish line 22 there is provided an elongatedtube 23 through which the line 22 is passed, and the line is providedwith knots or otherwise as indicated at 24 to engage the ends of thetube 23 in a manner to hold the bob at the desired position in thelength of the line. The tube 23 is secured to the body 5 of the bobthrough the medium of sleeves or collars 25 that are in turn secured tothe body 5 in any suitable manner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A fish bob comprising a hollow body having at one end a floatchamber, and a socket, an electric light bulb arranged in the socket andhaving its stem extending into said float chamber,

a battery confined within the bob, a fixed con- 4 tact member having anend in electrical engagement with the battery, a float arranged in thefloat chamber, and a sleeve extending through the float having slidingelectrical contact with said fixed contact, and also having an endadapted to move into electrical engagement with the contact of the lightbulb for completing the circuit through the bulb, said float chamberbeing provided with openings for the ingress and egress of water.

2. A bob for fish line comprising a hollow body having a plug in oneend, a battery arranged within the body, a fixed contact memberextending through the plug and having an end in electrical contact withthe battery, a hollow cap for the plug equipped end of the body, saidcap being provided with a lamp socket, a lamp engaged in the socket, afloat arranged in the cap and having a bridging contact in slidingengagement with the first named contact and adapted to engage thecontact of the lamp for comp1eting the circuit through the lamp, saidcap being pro vided with apertures for the circulation of watertherethrough.

CLYDE D. MCDOWELL.

